Many Wrongs Make Right
by Annie Wilde
Summary: It has been five years since Darcy Rathmore damaged her Slytherin reputation by helping to rescue a friend from the clutches of Death Eaters with the help of three Marauders. Darcy is now in serious danger from the Dark Side - if they suspect her true loyalties, Merlin knows what may happen. And if things weren't complicated enough, Darcy meets again an old... should I say friend?
1. Uneasiness

**Hi, everyone! This is a short story written as a Christmas present for a friend who insisted I base a character upon her (enter Darcy Rathmore, stage left). This'll probably make more sense for those people who have read my other story **_**The Ravenclaw Marauder,**_** but I warn you, it contains spoilers. So, Merry Christmas, Suzie. **

**P.S. When I said short, I think I was underestimating… **

**Lots of love, Annie xx**

"_In conclusion, we the Wizengamot hereby find the accused, Theodore Edmund Nott, not guilty, and innocent of crime. Let the Wizengamot adjourn." _

Darcy looked up from her pad, outraged. Minister for Magic Bagnold was not looking around at anyone, swiftly leaving the Dungeon after ignoring the leering smile she received from Nott.

The evidence for Nott's being a Death Eater had been unassailable, definite. The Prosecution had brought in eye-witnesses who had seen him brutally torture and kill three Muggles, and yet the whole of the Wizengamot had voted in Nott's favour.

Darcy's eyes flew to Nott, and she gave a start when she realised he was looking back at her. She smiled at him, as if for all the world she could not be gladder at his proof that the legal system was corrupt and compromised. His eyes narrowed, unconvinced, but Darcy didn't care, quickly looking back down at her pad and jotting down the summary of the session. She had been to school with him, and knew that for all his burly physique, he was terrified of snakes (ironically, considering his house) and had all the brains of an underdeveloped gorilla. This, coincidentally, almost exactly mirrored how he looked.

But, with a jolt, Darcy remembered that Nott was no longer an acne-ridden teen, and that she had a very real reason to fear him.

For if Nott doubted Darcy's pretences of being entirely in agreement with the Dark Lord to such an extent that he believed her loyalties lay elsewhere, Darcy was in very real danger. In theory, Darcy was very safe. Her parents were extremely pro-wizard, and had been responsible for a lot of Muggle baiting over the years. Darcy herself had dated a member of an ancient family that had been mostly anti-Muggle since the Middle Ages.

However, five years ago, events were put in place that made both sides of this war doubt her loyalties to them. She had made friends with a Ravenclaw from a very respectable wizard family who had rebelled against that image. Darcy had been advised to put her on the right track… and she had failed, merely getting dragged into the issue herself, finding in Rune the first true friend she had ever had.

Rune had then been taken from Hogwarts by her mother, father and brother, Malum. Darcy and Rune's friends – three Gryffindors – had tracked her down to a remote house in the countryside and rescued her, a feat that would have been impossible had Malum not switched sides at the last minute and helped them get Rune away.

Rumours of Darcy's involvement had flitted around the Wizarding world for a while, but they had never been proven, and she had tried hard to ensure her safety by putting up a Death-Eater-like front. Even so, she had made her house – the renovated Rathmore mansion – unplottable, and never went out to socialise publically. She wasn't brave enough to do something so stupidly reckless.

Malum, on the other hand, was on the run, hiding from the supporters of the Dark Lord he had betrayed. It had been three years since Darcy had last seen him, just a glimpse of him in the crowd on the way to work once, but she had never forgotten him. That angular face, piercing blue eyes and midnight-black hair occasionally drifted through her dreams, haunting her.

He'd laugh if he could see her now, working as a court scribe for the Wizengamot, in a ministry that was in disarray with the rise of the Dark Lord. She'd laugh with him, but, deep down, she knew this life was crushing her. Darcy was a social person, and she hadn't been to any gatherings in about a year, when Mulciber, another old school friend turned Death Eater had threatened her with the news that he doubted her loyalties. Despite the reassurances of Rune, Darcy had kept herself to herself, watching the world that she loved descend into chaos.

Finished with her notes, Darcy stacked them up on the Minister's desk, stowed her quill away in her satchel, and left the court room, doing her best to ignore the burning gaze of Nott on the back of her neck.

She jogged up the steps from Courtroom twelve, hurrying into the last empty lift before the doors closed. Ascending through the levels, she tipped her head back against the cool wooden wall and closed her eyes.

Darcy was so tired. She collapsed into bed at midnight each night after a hard day's work and awoke at six in the morning, ready to get into the Ministry by seven. As a matter of fact, she mused, her concealer was running out. At least at the moment she didn't have to look like death warmed up, no matter how she felt.

It took a few moments for Darcy to realise that the lift had come to a smooth halt, and that there were a couple of curious people gazing in at her. Colouring slightly, Darcy slipped past them into the atrium, slipping into the tickling warmth of a fireplace and muttering "Rathmore Mansion".

In a few moments, Darcy found herself in her warm kitchen. Glancing up at the ornate grandfather clock in the corner, she saw, with some surprise, that it was barely only eleven. She smiled, looking forward to the extra hours sleep when –

She heard something. A creak outside in the hallway echoed slightly, the sound of either plain old house settling or … a foot on ancient oak floorboards.

She pulled out her wand silently, heart suddenly hammering a wild drumbeat in her chest. She moved towards the door like a cat, and then gently opened the door a crack.

A dark figure was standing in the hallway.

**Review, please! **


	2. Old Friends

**Dum de dum… enjoy!**

Darcy's jaw clenched, she aimed as carefully as she could through the doorway with a shaking hand, and whispered "Stupefy!"

The red spell shot through the doorway, and the person on the other end yelped and only just managed to leap out of the way. The spell shattered a vase.

"What the hell…"

Recognising the voice, Darcy let out her breath in a gasp and pushed the door the rest of the way aside. "For God's sake, Rune!" She half-shouted. "Never do that again, I thought you were a Death Eater at least!"

"At least?" Came Rune's familiar wry voice from the darkness. "Expecting someone worse, were you? Hate to break it to you, Darce, but I don't think that's likely."

Darcy relaxed, her shoulders slumping, though her hands hadn't quite stopped shaking yet. "It's so good to see you," she admitted, hugging Rune quickly.

Darcy hadn't seen Rune in a few months, as she'd been on the run like Malum. However, Rune was slightly more reckless than he, and usually dropped in every few weeks or so. She had barely changed at all; her dark hair was still unfashionably messy, her dress sense still flawed. In this way, she was as different from Darcy's honey-coloured curls and immaculate sense of style as she had always been.

"Where have you been?" Darcy demanded. "Why haven't you visited?"

"I'm fine thanks," Rune grinned. "I had a bit of a visit from your old mate, Avery. Thankfully, he's every bit as thick now as he was in school, so it wasn't difficult to get away. Thought I'd better lie low at Sirius's for a bit anyway, though."

Darcy moved to sit at a kitchen chair, resting her chin on her long fingers. "How is Sirius?" She asked.

"He's fine." Rune sighed, busying herself with finding mugs and hot chocolate powder. "But it's not really feasible for me to stay there for much longer."

"Why not?" Darcy asked tiredly. Rune gave her a what-do-you-think look. "Oh, yeah," Darcy realised. Rune and Sirius had been briefly together after she had escaped from her parents, but after a few months of bickering, Rune had decided they were better as friends, and had broken up with him. Sirius had disagreed, and so the pair had been on/off ever since.

"You really need a steady boyfriend." Darcy remarked, provoking an outbreak of giggles from Rune. "Anyway," she continued. "Is there any particular reason you've broken into my house?"

Rune looked up guiltily from the mugs she'd found. "Well…"

"You want to crash here, don't you?" Darcy stated.

Rune smiled sheepishly. "Only for a few week – days or so." She amended hastily, seeing Darcy's face. "I know you're worried, but you really needn't be. I'm sure everything's blown over since the Mulciber thing."

"Nott's trial was today." Darcy said flatly.

"Oh good! Well, that's one less to worry about then, isn't –"

"He got off."

"What?" Rune's mouth opened in shock. "But you've been saying for months that he can't possibly get off, something about the evidence and witnesses and lawyer stuff – how did they do it?"

Darcy smiled dryly. "You must've been laying low, Runeyclaw. He's winning. Everyone knows it, and the Ministry is riddled with his spies and blackmailers."

Rune sat down heavily. "Oh dear." She said lamely.

"I'll say."

Rune pushed back her hair. "But, on the upside –"

"There's an upside?"

"-on the upside, guess what's happening next week?" Rune grinned at her, the grin turning into a grimace of disbelief when Darcy's expression didn't change.

"Tell me," Darcy said, pessimistically.

"It's your birthday, you gnome! And you know what you need?"

"No, don't say –"

"A party! Come on, Darce, I haven't been able to chat to anyone for months, I need something normal, and I know you do too."

"It's too dangerous, Rune! For God's sake, d'you think I want to be killed?"

"You won't be killed, don't be silly. You'll get to wear a dress…" Rune said coaxingly. Seeing Darcy wavering, she barrelled on. "And you can do your hair all nice, and I can bring some friends, and we can just celebrate! Twenty-one's a big year!"

"That's what you said about all the other years."

"So it's a definite! Great. Now, I don't know the first (or the last, come to think of it) thing about parties, so you'll have to organise it and things. I can decorate and turn up, and gasp flatteringly when you make your big entrance."

Darcy laughed once. "Who says I'll make a big entrance?"

Rune raised her eyebrows with a smile. "It's you, Darcy. You always make a big entrance. Remember the Halloween Ball at school?"

Darcy conceded the point with a smile.

"Right, it's settled then," Rune grinned. "I look forward to it. Oh, I'll need to borrow a dress, though!"

**Review if possible, please xx**


	3. Memories

**Sorry, this one's a little shorter. It's hard to find a good cut-off point. This contains a large behind-the-scenes excerpt from**

The morning of the party took Darcy completely by surprise. Her dreams had been confused and hazy, replaying long-buried memories. In her mind, she was fifteen years old again, standing in the wreckage of Rune's parents home.

"_Come on." Sirius gently put his arm around Rune's waist and half carried her from the room, her head drooping onto his shoulder, her bloody arm limp by her side.  
Darcy stood by the fire, watching the flames crackle up the logs without feeling the warmth of it on her skin. She felt emotionally and physically spent, her defences shattered by the turmoil of the day.  
She heard the soft footsteps from behind her, but didn't turn around, just staying where she was, watching the flames. She knew who it was, of course.  
"Thank you," she said quietly.  
"For what?" His voice was harsh and low.  
She turned at that, her eyes finding his instinctively, the way they always did. "For saving us. If you hadn't helped…" She trailed off at the thought.  
"If it weren't for my stupid help you wouldn't be here in the first place! Neither would Rune – my little sister, I can't believe I…" He broke off, sitting heavily on the sofa, hiding his face in his hands, seemingly unable to look at her. _

Darcy tossed over, the sheets tangling around her legs.

_Darcy sat tentatively beside him, trying to ignore the way her heart skipped beats erratically. She nervously put a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened, and she quickly removed it. "Sorry," she muttered._

"_No – no, it's fine." Malum lifted his head from his hands to look at her. "I just – I'm not a good person, Darcy."_

"_Neither am I." Darcy found herself wishing she had Rune's power of words – whenever she was around Malum, she could never think of the right thing to say._

_It appeared that this was the wrong thing to say (big surprise). Malum threw his hands up into the air. "You? For Merlin's sake, Darcy, look at yourself! This is important – you need to believe me on what I'm saying to you, Darcy. We couldn't be more different." _

"_Why do I need to believe that?" _

_He stood suddenly, anger battling with … was that despair she could see in his face? "Why? Because maybe if you believe it, then I will too! This is so messed up, Darcy, can you understand that?"_

_Darcy stood up too, her pride stung. She hated being shouted at, and very few people were brave enough to do it anyway. "Then explain it to me!" She exclaimed angrily. "Why are you acting like I'm stupid – none of this is my fault!"_

_Malum let out a barking, angry laugh. "You just don't get it, do you?"_

"_You shut up, Malum Draconis! Don't you dare patronise me!"_

_And with that, almost as if just to shut her up, Malum grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her. _

_Time seemed to stop. Malum kissed her passionately, fiercely, as though scared she'd slip through his fingers like sand … or run away. One hand tangled through her hair, the other slid around to the small of her back, trapping her in his burning grip._

"No…" Darcy's arms were thrown up protectively over her head, a tear slipping out of her closed eye lid.

_The kiss ended as unexpectedly as it had begun, as Malum suddenly released her, staggering back, away from her._

_Darcy stood here, stock still, her mouth still slightly open, tingling with the force of his kiss. _

_Malum was staring at her as though he couldn't quite believe what he had just done. "I…" He faltered. "I – I'm sorry, that was a mistake – I don't know what that was – I shouldn't have – I just…" He stuttered into silence, lost for words for the first time since she'd first met him. _

_Darcy couldn't think – breathe – feel. She felt like she was on fire. He was apologising to her. He was sorry. Sorry he had kissed her. A mistake. _

_She slid down the wall, coming to rest sitting on the floor. The Rathmore pride helped her talk to him. "Maybe you shouldn't have done it, then. I think you should go." She heard herself say._

_He opened his mouth, as if to say something, an unreadable expression flickering over his face. He closed it again, turned on his heel and left the room quickly._

_Darcy wrapped her arms around her knees, tucking her head down, succumbing, for once, to tears._

Rise and shine, beauty queen!" Rune's voice rang out cheerily through the room, and with that, Darcy shoved the dream back behind the . From behind her closed eyelids, Darcy could make out a sudden reddish brightening which, along with the scuffling sounds, told her that Rune had made herself the first person to bother opening Darcy's bedroom drapes in quite some time.


	4. Unexpected Gifts

**Here's a longer one to make up for the other. I keep forgetting how long to put the chapters, as the whole thing seemed too long to have as a whole story. Lots of love, Annie xx**

Darcy groaned at the attack on her senses. "Rune, go'way."

"Oh, okay, and I shall take this gorgeous birthday breakfast with me, which I slaved at with my own bare hands … well, and your House Elf's hands."

Darcy opened her eyes blearily. Rune had perched herself on the corner of her Four-Poster bed, precariously balancing a breakfast tray on her knee. She was wearing a light green apron that clashed horribly with her purple shirt – Darcy had seen the apron only once before, when she'd bought it.

"Anyways," Rune said, plonking the tray next to Darcy's head. "It's the big day! Happy birthday, Darce."

Darcy struggled to sit up without upsetting the breakfast tray, her rumpled honey-blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders, "Whassa time?" She asked.

"Nearly ten. I popped in at about nine, but you were snoring like an asthmatic baby, and I didn't want to disturb. Anyway, here." Rune deposited a small pile of neatly wrapped presents into Darcy's lap.

Darcy's eyes widened. "How many people did you blackmail to get those?" She demanded.

"None! I did have to gently remind a few, though." Rune smiled happily. "Go on, that one's mine."

Darcy took the luridly wrapped gift and untied the string holding it together. Inside was a small glass bottle of red liquid.

"It's a sort of magical coffee," Rune explained. "It makes up for lost sleep. If you put a few drops on your tongue it sort of refreshes you. Remus gave me the instructions back in sixth year, after careful coercion."

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

Darcy had fun unwrapping her presents, strangely touched by them. Sirius had sent her a bumper pack of wizarding sweets, with a semi-serious note attached asking her if she could never mention he'd sent a birthday gift to a Slytherin. James and Lily had given her a phoenix-feather hair clasp, and Remus an elegant leather-bound journal. Her parents had sent a book on famous pure-blood wizards and witches, so Darcy guessed that they were still trying to reform her. She found she didn't care very much.

The last package was flat, and wrapped in dark blue paper. Expecting a book, Darcy opened it curiously, revealing a green velvet box. Curious, she unclasped it to find –

"Oh, Merlin!" Rune exclaimed, looking over her shoulder. Nestled among the fabric was the most beautiful necklace Darcy had ever seen. The silver chain was long and elegant, leading to a single teardrop moonstone.

"That's an Atraxine stone," Rune murmured. "I wonder where…" She trailed off.

"What's an Atraxine stone?" Darcy asked, bewitched by the shimmering gem.

"I recognise it from a book. It's a small explosion encased in a moonstone shell."

"Say what?" Darcy shoved the box away from her.

"It can only be set off by the owner, which I'm guessing much be you. If not, that'd be a time-bomb around your neck."

"Someone's trying to blow me up?" Darcy shrieked, scrambling out of bed.

"I'm sure they're not." Rune said, reassuringly. "And anyway, there's a really easy way to find out and code it."

"Go ahead." Darcy said, edging away from the necklace.

Rune took her oaken wand and directed it at the gleaming necklace. "Loyaute revelio." The stone glowed suddenly brightly, silvery light emanating from its faceted depths.

"Oh, that's good," Rune sighed in relief. "Pick it up, just to make sure. Oh go on, it won't bite you."

"Just blow me to pieces, then." Darcy muttered, but she tentatively picked up the piece of jewellery anyway. At her touch, the moonstone glowed a bright silvery gold.

"Thank Goodness." Rune sighed. "It's okay. That is officially a safe bomb. D'you want to code it?"

"Are there any fatal side-effects?"

"Nope."

"Okay then…"

"Great! Hey, isn't this fun? I read about Atraxine stones for my DADA exam. Knew it'd come in handy someday. Right, it's really simple, just touch the tip of your wand to the moonstone." Darcy did so. The necklace glowed like a ruby.

"Now, just decide on a key phrase that'll activate it. Be careful though, you don't want it to be anything you'll say by accident."

Darcy thought about it carefully, then, enunciating clearly, she said, "Slytherin marmalade."

Rune giggled. "Slytherins like marmalade?"

"No. We hate it. So you'll never hear us say those words together."

Rune rolled her eyes. "Right. Well, finish your breakfast and have a bath, then we can organise!"

When Darcy went down into the living room an hour later, clad in the comfiest clothes she owned, Rune was sitting cross-legged on Darcy's expensive leather sofa, writing on a long piece of parchment that was tumbling over the edge of leather onto the floor.

Catching Darcy's eye, she explained, "It's a letter to my brother."

"Malum?" Darcy said quickly.

"Yup. He sends me letters sometimes, when he has time."

"He does?" He certainly hadn't written to her, Darcy thought, immediately regretting the petty thought. Of course he should write to Rune, not her. It wasn't like they meant anything to each other. "What, erm, what does he say?"

Rune sighed, her brows furrowing. "He's still on the run, if that's what you mean. Nearly got caught a few months ago.

Darcy stiffened.

"Yeah," Rune went on oblivious. "He's hiding out in the Forest of Dean at the moment, he said. I worry about him. He mentions you sometimes," she added slyly.

"He does?" Darcy asked, trying and failing to sound nonchalant.

"He worries about you."

"He does?"

"Yes," she said, grinning at Darcy's reaction. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he still feels guilty about dragging you into that mess at school. He's nervous that Death Eaters might get suspicious."

Suddenly, the suspicious Death Eaters seemed like a much smaller problem. "He is?"

Rune let out a peal of laughter. "Darc-_ay_!"

"What?" Darcy asked defensively.

"You need to find a new guy – seriously, you've _still_ got this thing for Malum?"

"No – no I don't!"

"Really? Is that why you've gone as red as a phoenix?"

"I – I'm not – oh, shut up."

Rune raised her eyebrows knowingly, but conceded, stowing away the parchment. "What are we doing about these decorations then?"

**Review, please xx**


	5. Lost Loves

**Getting more interesting now… **

Nine hours later found Rune and Darcy in the garden of an old stately home that Darcy had hired from a few Muggles. The Muggles had been very accommodating after she'd confounded them, to disapproving looks from Rune. They had agreed that it was taking recklessness a little too far to have the party at the Rathmore mansion, which would have involved taking down all the protective enchantments, making Darcy extremely vulnerable.

A loud crack sounded through the soft evening air as two people apparated into their midst. It was Sirius and Remus – old friends of Rune's and Darcy's from school. Sirius was wearing a smart pair of dark jeans with a pale blue collared shirt, while Remus looked his usual self in clean but raggedy jeans and a woollen jumper. In Darcy's opinion, Sirius looked perfectly ordinary, but Rune was smiling, drinking in the sight of him as though he were wearing a bespoke tux.

"Hi," Sirius said, looking as confident as usual. "Are we first here?"

"Yes," Rune said. "Whatever happened to fashionably late?"

Sirius grinned at her. "Well, any more fashion and people would get jealous of me, wouldn't they?"

"Jealous of your un-brushed hair?"

"You know you like it better that way." Sirius beamed to see Rune's blush. "I like the dress, Runeyclaw."

"_When_ you two are done flirting," Darcy broke in. "How've you been, anyway?"

"Fine," Remus said, smirking a little at Sirius's slightly sheepish expression. "Yourself? I heard you got in a bit of a scrap the other week, Rune."

Rune grinned. "You should've seen the other guy."

They laughed, and Rune led them off to get drinks, leaving Darcy to greet any other guests.

It wasn't like Rune didn't look pretty in Darcy's old dress, Darcy thought. But they could have complimented her as well.

Rune was wearing a long-sleeved red tube dress that ended just above the knee. However, true to unfashionable form, she had teamed the dress with her battered Converse high-tops.

Darcy, on the other hand, had opted for a pastel blue tunic dress that swished prettily around her knees, which complimented her new necklace and silver heels.

Maybe guys liked the dressed-in-the-dark/don't-give-a-damn look more, Darcy mused. But she had little time to dwell on the matter before her next few guests arrived.

In about quarter of an hour later, the party boasted a small bit cheerful array of guests, at least half of which Darcy was moderately sure Rune had only invited to bring up the numbers. She must have had fewer friends than she thought.

Despite this less than merry thought, Darcy found, to her surprise, that she was genuinely feeling happy for the first time in far too long. She could see Sirius and Rune over by the bar chatting animatedly. Darcy rolled her eyes at them, smiling. She wondered how long it would take for them to realise that they were head over heels for each other – if ever.

A gentle gust of wind ruffled Darcy's hair, and she turned into the breeze in order to keep it out of her face – something caught her eye. A figure was standing by the doorway of the stately home, looking down at the party.

But then, almost as though they knew they'd been seen, the person turned and quickly slipped through the ornate double doors. It didn't occur to Darcy to be suspicious – she and Rune had covered the place head to toe in protective enchantments, the person had to be a friend. But still, she made her excuses and followed, opening the heavy door a fraction and flitting inside.

The house was colder than the garden, echoey and silent. Her heels tapped on the cool marble slabs beneath her feet as she walked purposefully towards the tall gallery doors, one of which had been left ajar.

She pushed it aside, stepping into the dark, shadowy gallery. The heavy velvet drapes were hanging over the windows, blotting out light and muffling sound. Daylight flooded through the door Darcy had just opened, lightening the room dimly and throwing shattered rainbows on the walls through the ornate crystal chandelier directly above her.

Darcy opened her mouth; ready to say something, but then closed it again, becoming aware of something. The hairs on the back of her neck were prickling, her hands clenched unconsciously into fists. There was an abrupt creaking, grating noise from somewhere in the room. Darcy spun around as the noise continued, then suddenly froze to the spot, a drop of icy fear tingling down her spine.

A dark figure stood in the doorway, his wand pointing up, above her head, his ugly face contorted into an unnatural looking smile.

Then several things happened at once. At the precise moment that the horrible grating noise ceased, something barrelled into her roughly from the left, hurling her bodily into velvet covered window. There was a deafening smash as the chandelier smashed into the spot where Darcy had been standing not seconds before.

Glass flew everywhere, cutting viciously whatever happened to be in its way. Darcy was partially shielded by whatever had collided with her, pinning her to the ground as it did so, but glass still managed to bite into her skin all the same. Somebody shouted something, and a sharp pain sliced through her arm just above her elbow. She cried out in pain, but the

When the glass stilled, Darcy jerked her head up, gripping her wand fiercely. "Serpensortia," she whispered, too shocked to speak. An emerald green serpent unravelled from her wand like a ribbon, slithering closer to the figure at the door, who gave a quick gasp, then turned tail and ran.

It was then that Darcy realised that whatever was sheltering her happened to be breathing. She squeaked in surprise, wriggling out from underneath, until –

"_You?" _

Malum's face was half-turned from her into the floor, but Darcy would have known him anywhere.

**Review, please xx**


	6. Nott's Ace Card

**Next chapter's up, Suzie. Enjoyez-vous.**

Malum's face was half-turned from her into the floor, but Darcy would have known him anywhere. His white shirt was dotted with dark red, his breath laboured, his jaw clenched.

"Stay still," Darcy ordered, trying to stop her hands from shaking. Glass was spearing his back through his shirt, lacing the tears with redness. "I'm going to try to take the glass out, okay?"

He grunted approval, turning his face to the side to look at her, his piercing blue eyes glazed over in pain.

Darcy gritted her teeth, her stomach turning over as she pulled the crystal splinters out of Malum's body. She was putting off taking out the largest, which punctured his skin right by the shoulder blade, but eventually she couldn't avoid it.

"This is going to hurt, okay?" She said, her voice slightly hoarse.

"You don't say."

Darcy was pleased to see Malum had rediscovered his sarcastic side, but still gritted her teeth at the prospect of pulling a two inch spike of glass out of his back. She grasped the piece carefully between her fingers and slipped it out of his flesh. He let out a hiss of pain, convulsing involuntarily .

Darcy seized her wand from the ground next to her, and directed it at the wounds. "_Episky,"_ She murmured, watching the cuts heal themselves with satisfaction.

"Are there any more?" She asked.

"None that matter." He got to his feet, pulling Darcy up with him. "What about you, are you okay?"

Darcy nodded for some reason, despite the trail of blood trickling sickeningly down her elbow.

Malum looked towards the door. "Where's the Death Eater?"

"Ran away."

"What? D'you think he saw me?"

"Probably. Dim he may be, but blind he is not."

"Do you _know _him?" His eyes fixed on her.

"I used to." She shrugged. "I went to school with him."

"And you let him _get away?"_ Malum's eyes flashed angrily at her.

Darcy bristled. "I didn't _let _him anything. I scared him away. He scared of snakes, I remember from school."

"_Why?_ Don't you realise he'll call for help? That he'll tell that help that he's seen _me_, who's supposed to be hiding in the Forest of Dean, saving _your _life, who is a doubted You-Know-Who supporter?"

Darcy bit her lip. "I didn't think of that."

He rolled his eyes patronisingly. "Clearly."

Darcy shoved him hard in the chest. He stumbled backwards into the shattered window, taken by surprise. Before he could say anything, she turned on her heel and stormed from the room. "_Humano revelium,"_ she said, casting her wand in a wide arc.

Malum caught up with her. "What was that for?" He demanded.

"For being an arrogant idiot." Having found what she was looking for, she made for the stairs purposefully, refusing to look at Malum.

He caught her bad arm, spinning her to face him. She winced, gritting her teeth. "Where are you going?" He asked in a would-be-calm voice.

"I'm going up to the roof, where our friend is also heading. Let go of me."

"Darcy –" He started to say something, his voice low and soft, but broke off. "Why is there blood on your arm?"

Darcy shook her arm free, ignoring the stabs of pain. "Let's go." She turned and hurried up the stairs. What was wrong with her? Her stomach was a riot of butterflies, while her arm was burning from his touch … or from whatever had happened to it earlier.

A drop of blood fell from her fingers onto the marble staircase, and Darcy slowed, feeling nauseated by the sight of red on white.

"Darcy, stop!" Malum's arms were gripping her shoulders, forcing her to sit down on the stairs. His white face was a little blurred, as though she were looking at him through badly focused glasses.

"_Tergeo,"_ she heard him say, as though through an echoey corridor. "_Episky." _

Darcy blinked as the pain receded to a smaller, dully throbbing point.

"_Episky,"_ He said again, his face now in sharper focus. "Darcy, how did this happen?"

"Not sure," She said. "Think Nott did something. A spell."

"Who?"

"The Death Eater."

Malum's face twisted with worry. "It's not healing, but it's stopped bleeding, at least. Looks like it's been _burned._"

"I feel fine," Darcy said. "Come on."

She stood again, and hurried up the stairs once more, Malum at her side. He didn't question her judgement, knowing that if she knew she couldn't go on, she'd stop. He seemed to be underestimating her urge to prove herself in front of him, though.

They hurried together up the staircase.

"There's only one way up to the roof," Darcy panted. "Through the tower – no, this way!"

They sprinted together across an elegant hallway, towards an old oaken door that led to a tight spiral staircase. At the base of it lay a dead, limp snake. Darcy swallowed hard, but, conscious of Malum behind her, determinedly stepped over it and up the tower, trying to ignore the pain in her arm which was slowly starting to throb again.

They climbed higher and higher, Darcy hyperaware of Malum's presence behind her. They didn't speak, but she was comforted nonetheless by his being there. Strange how he could make her feel so safe, even now.

They finally reached the top of the staircase. The door outside had been blasted angrily apart, and Darcy stepped through the wreckage. The mansion's roof was flat and clean, apart from the odd puddle of rainwater in the occasional depressions, and edged by waist-high crenellations.

Nott was standing at the edge of the roof, leaning slightly on the stone. He spun round at the sound of their footsteps, his face twisted in fury and surprise. He raised his wand to strike, but Malum was quicker. "_Confringo!"_ He shouted, pointing his wand at the stone beneath Nott's feet.

Realising what was coming just in time, Nott hurled himself left as the rock beneath his feet exploded with the force of a rampaging bull.

Debris flew everywhere, and Darcy could faintly hear the sounds of the party below coming to a halt. Others would be coming to help soon. Maybe they'd be able to do something about her arm.

"_Stupefy!" _Malum's spell missed Nott by a hair's width, as the latter dived behind a chunk of rock. "_Confringo!"_ Another section of the roof blew up, jagged, differently sized lumps of marble scattering over the rooftop.

There was a yelp, then an answering jet of electric green light. Malum was forced to mimic Nott's tactic and take cover behind a stone. "Darcy, come on!"

Darcy took a few steps towards him, then staggered, losing control of her legs, and fell forwards. Malum seized her waist and pulled her out of immediate danger.

"Darcy? Darcy, come on, what's the matter, tell me!" Darcy could only gaze at him, a tear escaping her eye and trickling gently back into her hair.

Then a slow, malicious laugh began from a few yards away, where Nott was hidden. It was a laugh of dawning realisation, and, beyond anything else that had happened that evening, it scared Malum to the bone.

**I think most of this story relies on cliff-hangers… **


End file.
